Spray-formed reinforcement for footwear

ABSTRACT

A reinforcing elastic polymer, such as a urethane/rubber material, is selectively spray-applied over upper, midsole or outsole components of articles of footwear. Such a material sprayed over the toe area of baseball shoes, for example, that is subjected to increased wear during use, serves to improve the durability of that area. A cleated midsole constructed of a lightweight foamed material such as EVA, has an elastic polymer outsole layer selectively spray-applied over the outer surface of the cleated midsole to form a combination midsole/outsole that provides improved durability and traction, as well as superior shock absorption characteristics.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to the subject matter of and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/904,028 entitled SPRAY-FORMED REINFORCEMENT FOR FOOTWEAR filed on Mar. 2, 2007, by the same inventors.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to footwear and, more particularly, to an improved method of selectively strengthening the upper, midsole, insole, and outsole components of footwear.

Conventional shoe construction involves a number of molding steps. Those molding steps that involve the midsole and outsole components are typically quite expensive. Some molding can be done economically on the toe, heel, and lace pieces of the upper. Compression and injection molding techniques are most commonly employed in the athletic shoe industry.

Prior art attempts at strengthening the materials used in molding shoes have included additives for reducing slip resistance and increasing the durability of certain wear areas of outsoles. In addition, pieces of plastic or other material are sometimes glued to the midsole to strengthen compression areas and thereby protect against excessive pronation and to provide a foot bridge for the midfoot area.

It would be advantageous to provide an improved method for constructing shoes that minimizes the molding steps required to thereby reduce the cost of production. It would also be advantageous to provide an improved method for constructing shoes that selectively strengthens midsole, upper, and outsole components, and that increases the durability or resistance to wear of selected areas of those components.

In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, a sprayed material forms the entire outsole or is simply applied over one or more selected areas of a conventional molded outsole to increase the durability of those areas of the outsole. In addition, the sprayed material may be selectively applied to midsoles, uppers, and outsoles for purposes of reinforcement.

Cleated footwear used in soccer, football, and rugby traditionally have outsoles made from firm, high-density plastic, urethane or nylon materials. The present invention permits manufacturing such cleated footwear using lightweight foamed materials such as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam or blown rubber, for example, to produce a midsole having a plurality of cleats formed on the bottom or outer surface thereof. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a coating of an elastic polymer, such as a urethane/rubber or polyurethane-containing material, is sprayed at an appropriate consistency and in appropriate thicknesses over the outer surface of the molded cleated midsole to form an outsole layer that provides desired durability, torsional stability, flexibility, and cushion characteristics. If cleated outsoles were to be constructed of soft foamed materials alone, they would be light weight and would exhibit superior shock absorption and flexibility characteristics, but would be seriously lacking in durability, stability, and traction. However, the addition of an elastomeric outer coating, selectively spray-applied, in accordance with the present invention, would overcome the negatives, while retaining the significant advantages of such construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a typical baseball shoe illustrating a polyurethane-containing material or similar elastomer spray-applied to the toe area of the shoe upper to provide increased resistance to wear in that area.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a molded midsole/outsole of an athletic shoe showing a molded tread pattern in certain areas, the illustrated surface of the molded midsole/outsole being recessed in certain other wear areas.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the molded midsole/outsole of FIG. 2 illustrating a reinforcing material sprayed over the recessed wear areas thereof and over the arch area, for the purpose of bracing and reinforcement of the arch area, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom pictorial illustration of a cleated midsole of an athletic shoe, constructed of an EVA or similar foam material, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom pictorial illustration of the cleated midsole of FIG. 4 having a polyurethane-containing material or similar elastomer sprayed over the cleated bottom surface thereof to form a combination midsole/outsole.

FIG. 6 is a top pictorial illustration of the combination midsole/outsole of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a typical baseball shoe 10 having an upper conventionally formed of a suitable material such as nylon, leather, or synthetic leather. In accordance with the present invention, a coating of a material 12 is sprayed over the toe region of shoe 10. Material 12 may be of the polyurethane-containing type used to line truck beds and may be applied with conventional machines used by companies such as Rhino Linings USA and LINE-X.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a bottom plan view of an athletic shoe 20 having a molded midsole/outsole 21 with a tread pattern molded in wear areas 26 and having other wear areas 22, 24 recessed below the tread surface of areas 26. A strengthening material, such as a polyurethane elastomer, is spray-applied, in accordance with the present invention, over areas 22, 23, 24 of midsole/outsole 21, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The strengthening material spray-applied over arch area 23 of midsole/outsole 21 forms an arch bridge which provides increased support and torsional stability.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a molded midsole 40 that may be employed in a cleated athletic shoe. Midsole 40 may be conventionally molded of an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) or similar foam material to include a plurality of cleats 42 formed on the bottom surface thereof. In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a polyurethane-containing material or similar elastomer is sprayed over the bottom surface of the molded midsole 40 to form a midsole/outsole combination 50 that includes both midsole 40 and a sprayed outsole layer 52 of the chosen elastomer. One or more apertures 54 may be formed in sprayed outsole layer 52 by masking the aperture area 54 when spraying the elastomer. The one or more aperture areas 54 serve to reduce the overall weight of the shoe and to expose for view a logo or other design molded in the bottom surface of midsole 40. 

1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper component; a molded midsole component attached to said upper component; and a reinforcing material selectively sprayed over an outer surface of said midsole component to form an outsole layer.
 2. An article of footwear as in claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing material sprayed over a toe area of said upper component.
 3. An article of footwear as in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 4. An article of footwear as in claim 2, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 5. An article of footwear comprising: an upper component; a midsole component attached to said upper component; an outsole component attached to said midsole component; and a reinforcing material sprayed over one or more selected areas of said upper component.
 6. An article of footwear as in claim 5, wherein said reinforcing material is additionally sprayed over one or more selected areas of said outsole component.
 7. An article of footwear as in claim 5, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 8. An article of footwear comprising: an upper component; a midsole component attached to said upper component; an outsole component having a plurality of cleats formed on a outer surface thereof; and a reinforcing material selectively sprayed over said outer surface of said outsole component.
 9. An article of footwear as in claim 8, wherein said midsole component comprises a molded foam material.
 10. An article of footwear as in claim 8, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 11. An article of footwear as in claim 1, further comprising one or more apertures formed in said sprayed outsole layer.
 12. An article of footwear as in claim 8, wherein said reinforcing material is sprayed over one or more areas of said midsole component.
 13. An article of footwear as in claim 9, wherein said molded foam material comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate.
 14. An article of footwear as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cleats formed on said bottom surface of said molded midsole component.
 15. An article of footwear as in claim 14, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 16. An article of footwear as in claim 15, wherein said elastic polymer comprises a urethane/rubber material.
 17. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, the method comprising: providing an upper component of said article of footwear; providing a midsole component of said article of footwear attached to said upper component; providing an outsole component of said article of footwear attached to said midsole component; and selectively spraying a reinforcing material onto one or more of said upper, midsole, and outsole components of said article of footwear.
 18. A method as in claim 17, wherein said reinforcing material is sprayed onto a toe area of said upper component of said article of footwear.
 19. A method as in claim 17, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 20. A method as in claim 17, wherein said midsole component comprises a molded foam material.
 21. A method as in claim 17, wherein: said outsole component includes a plurality of cleats formed on an outer surface thereof to provide a cleated outer surface of said outsole component; and said reinforcing material is sprayed over one or more selected areas of said cleated outer surface of said outsole component.
 22. A method as in claim 21, wherein said reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 23. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, the method comprising: providing an upper component of said article of footwear; providing a midsole component of said article of footwear attached to said upper component; and selectively spraying a reinforcing material over an outer surface of said midsole component to form an outsole layer.
 24. A method as in claim 23, wherein said midsole component comprises a molded foam material and said sprayed reinforcing material comprises an elastic polymer.
 25. A method as in claim 23, further comprising providing a plurality of cleats on said outer surface of said midsole component. 